Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-01-11
WHOLE NO. ll.l47.
IN CONGREsS.
Remarks of Senator stanford on Gre In.
terstate Commercial Rtu.

nemsrks OF Senator stanford on Gre In
terstate Commercial Bill.
by telegraph to the RECORD USIoN.l
WASHINGTON, January 10th.-The Senate
at / O'Clock P. N. took up the interstate
commerce bill, and Beck took the fioo-
with his speech in favor of the conference
report.
On motion of Dawes, the House amend
ments to the Senate bill TO provide lands
Tor Indians in severalty were non-con-
CURED IN, and d conference asked.
Alter hearing remonstrance from the
Minneapolis Board of Trade. the Senate
proceeded to the consideration of the inter
state commerce bill, and was addressed by
Beck in favor of the adoption of the con-
ference report
Cullom also addressed the Senate in favor
OF the conference report, confining his re-
marks principally to the fourth section. as
to long and short hauls. He addressed the
senate at length III support of the confer
ence report.
Stanford argued against the bill. He
sald that 1t tended not only to prevent COM
petition by railroads, but it exhibited a
tendency to foster water ways to the pre-
judice of railroad interests. IF the object
were to enhance water lines at the expense
OF railroads, he did not know how a bill
could be framed to secure such an object
better than this bill. Railway business
was legitimate, and there could be no iusti-
fication for depriving owners of railroads
OF the control of their property. The bill
seemed to him clearly in violation
OF the rights of property, and
OF the rights. of labor to receive
compensation for services performed.
In regard to the long and short haul sec
ton, he argued that water and other COM
petition sometimes made it absolutely
necessary to charge more for Intermediate
business than for through business. All
overland lines of railroad find their rates
very largely controlled and influenced bv
the routes by way of the Isthmus of Pana-
ma and of Cape Horn, that competition be-
ing willing to accept a small profit where
larger cannot be had. They had to carry
along line between two extreme points
the same character at less rates than it is
carried from the East to the West, or from
the West to the East to intermediate
places. Thus, because of competition,
freight going from New York to
San Francisco may pass over various
lines of railroad, making up on the
through line Tor perhaps half their regular
rates-say from New York to Buffalo. from
Buffalo to Chicago from Chicago to Omaha,
from Omaha to Salt Lake, and so on to its
destination on the Pacific coast No profit
is so small as to be despised. Business is
done at that rate rather than not do it at
all. Take q more marked illustration: The
Southern Pacific road strikes the Atlantic
waters az a much less distance than any of
its more northern competitors. 1t has a
line of easy gradients, comparatively, and
it completes not only with its northern
rivals but more particularly with Cape
Horn and the Isthmus of Panama routes.
Because of its shorter line and easier
gradients in this competition it often takes
freight between the two oceans as low as
say $40, while it takes freight half way for
say $40 ton, most reasonable rate, for
the limited local business of that country.
Now, if it only makes a dollar net on
freight from San Francisco to New Orleans,
at $40, it is led to make that dollar where
it can get no more; but a ton of freight
going to El Paso, something over half the
distance, will pay $50. Now, if freight at
$40 TO New Orleans, pays 81 profit, ton of
freight going less distance to Ell Paso,
would pay as much freight as twenty-one
tons going through TO New Orleans, and
vet the rates charged to Ell Paso are but
fair as is shown by the gross earnings and
gross expenses of the road. leaving but a
very narrow net profit. The shorter dis
tance is not charged any more because of
the lesser rate for the longer distance In
deed, the longer distance helps the railroad
company to maintain itself, while without
that help perhaps they could not do the
shorter business at all. Is this Congress
prepared to say that small earnings shall
be despised-lhat they shall not be secured
when greater cannot be had2 Are they
prepared to deny to individual shippers
and communities the benefit of their more
favorable location, whether made so be-
cause of the geography and topography OF
Al H,.o o-t,f 81
Adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, January 10th. = The
Speaker laid before the House a COM
munication from the Secretary of the
Treasury in reply to the resolution
asking for an Interpretation of the tariff
law respecting the duties on fish. Referred.
Under the call of the States the following
bills and resolutions were introduced and
referred:
Bill making an appropriation for the in
vestigation of the peculiarities of formation
and structure of the earth's crust
BY Oates of Acknowledging ten years
residence of aliens a prerequisite to ma
turalization.
By Markham of California-For the pro-
lection of forest lands of the United States
in California.
By Morrow of California (by request
To enable the Secretary of the Treasury to
acquire and extinguish outstanding titles
of property occupied by the Treasury De-
partment in San Francisco.
BY Cobb of Indiana-Resolutiou grant
ing the Public Lands Committee power TO
call up ON any day, after the morning hour,
bills for the forfeiture of land grants; 10
prevent speculation in public lands, and to
reserve public lands for bona fide settlers
By Morrill, of Kansas-To place lumber
and salt on the free list, and to reduce the
duty on sugar.
BY Peters of Kansas-Authorizing the
Secretary Of the Treasury TO erect public
buildings not to exceed in cost $4,000
each, III any town or city in which the
gross receipts To the Government from any
Office exceeds $1,000
By Merriam of New York-For the pur-
chase of John Ericsson's Destroyer" and
ten enlarged steel vessels of the same type
for defending harbors in the United States.
BY Clifford of Arizona-Granting right of
way to the United States Railroad Com
pany from point on the Canadian bound
ary to a point on the Mexican boundary
BY Haley of Idaho-Disfranchi and
denying the tight to hold public lands in
the Territory 10 persons who Practice big
amy, polygamy or unlawful cohabitation.
Morrison of Illinois, from the Committee
on Rules. reported resoiuuon Sttlng
apart Wednesday and Thursday next for
the consideration Of business reported from
the Committee on Judiciary, which was
agreed to- This order includes the Ed
munds-Tucker anti-polygamy bill.
The floor was then given to the District
Of Columbia Committee. and after the pas
sage of several District measures the House
adjourned.
Bivaling the. Best.
The New Years edition Of the SAaRA
MENTo RECORD UNION comprises sixteen